Time Inc., the folks who bring you People and Entertainment Weekly magazines, are jumping on the voluntary simplicity bandwagon — sort of. Next month, the company will launch a new magazine, Real Simple, that is aimed at women who want to simplify their overextended lives. The magazine’s founders have changed the familiar mantra of “less is more” into a new motto: “Do less. Have more.” Mary Lou Quinlan, who helped develop the concept for the magazine, says, “It’s not about consuming less. It’s about consuming more selectively, not buying for the sake of buying.” That’s just fine with advertisers like Cadillac, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, and Reebok, which have flocked to buy ad space in the glossy new publication. Is it just us, or are they missing the point?
